Volunteer has green thumb, heart of gold

Bill Null, 82, of Rancho Santa Margarita, holds two door knockers he made from scraps of wood. The items are sold at the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary in Modjeska Canyon. Null volunteers at the facility once a week, sweeping, planting and maintaining the greenhouse.MARK RIGHTMIRE, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

With cows as the clear choice, Null reached into the reusable grocery bag at his side. Out came a piece of wood he'd carved into the shape of a pie and painted white with black spots. He waited for it to click: "A cow pie," Null said, a smile transforming his lined face.

The 82-year-old carries such crafty trinkets with him while he volunteers each Tuesday at Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, ready to offer them to passing school kids or adults who need a pick-me-up.

"I think he helps to shape people's perspective towards being positive," said Shawn Breeden, family life minister for Church of Christ in Mission Viejo, where Null attends services and volunteers Thursdays in the Comfort Café. "Even during challenging times, he helps them to see that as an opportunity – something they can grow from."

Null needed some perspective himself a year ago January, when his wife of 62 years died after a long illness. Instead of looking for others to help him, he found comfort in giving.

"I knew I couldn't just sit around and do nothing," Null said. "I knew I wanted to volunteer."

Along with smiles, Null brings a lifetime of experience as a horticulturist and educator to the Tucker. And as he serves food to needy Comfort Café visitors, he draws on eight decades of nurturing those around him as he lives out his faith with a wit and charm that have kept him spry.

CULTIVATING A CAREER

Null found a passion for horticulture during high school in Upland, working in the school's green house and raising animals.

After a four-year stint in the Air Force during the Korean War, Null finished his degree in ornamental horticulture. He also received a teaching credential, setting the stage for 42 years teaching high school across California.

"I couldn't think of anything I'd rather do than that," Null said.

He taught agriculture for four years in Hayward, near San Francisco. Then he worked for 25 years at Rancho Alamitos High School in Garden Grove.

"He said that he didn't teach school, he taught people," said Null's daughter, Karla Houska.

While at Rancho Alamitos, Null and his wife took in Angelo Veiga, a Brazilian exchange student. Their generosity extended to Angelo's niece, Isabella Veiga, and exchange students Michele Milis and Paula Schmidt.

Most of them are still close today. Angelo and his wife surprised the Nulls, asking to spend their honeymoon with them. And Houska and Null just bought tickets to visit Angelo, his sister and Milis – who calls Null her "beloved American dad" – in December.

Bill Null, 82, of Rancho Santa Margarita, holds two door knockers he made from scraps of wood. The items are sold at the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary in Modjeska Canyon. Null volunteers at the facility once a week, sweeping, planting and maintaining the greenhouse. MARK RIGHTMIRE, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Null retrieves a broom to begin sweeping walkways at the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary in Modjeska Canyon. MARK RIGHTMIRE, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Zehava Purim-Adimor, left, of Aliso Viejo, and Null look at a thick-leaf yerba santa plant at Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary. Null helps identify plants as part of his volunteer work at the sanctuary in Modjeska Canyon. MARK RIGHTMIRE, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Null trims dead foliage from plants at the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary in Modjeska Canyon. MARK RIGHTMIRE, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Null began volunteering at the sanctuary after his wife died. He said he was looking for a way to give back, and that the work has given him a new lease on life. MARK RIGHTMIRE, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Null's daughter, Karla Houska of Coto de Caza, said her father "just goes on ... like the Energizer bunny," brushing aside his assertions he's slowed down in recent years. MARK RIGHTMIRE, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Null walks through the gates at Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary. The former teacher uses his decades of experience in horticulture to make improvements to the sanctuary. MARK RIGHTMIRE, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.